CULINARY PROFILE: AKASHA RICHMOND
By Jenny Honz
For dineLA.com
 |
Akasha Richmond was a caterer to the stars before opening her eponymous restaurant, Akasha, in Culver City early this year. The author of Hollywood Dish is famous for healthy organic cuisine.
Q: Why did you decide to open a restaurant?
A: I always wanted to, but it was never the right time, the right space, the right partners. This kind of fell in my lap. When I saw the space, I was like, oh my God. It’s a corner location, a historic landmark. It has charm, parking. The building itself has killer feng shui. My girlfriend did the feng shui. She told me it would attract — you’re gonna’ laugh — beautiful women and gay men. I said, fine, that’s all I need. Everyone will come after that.
Q: Describe the food and ambience.
A: New American with a focus on big flavors and sustainable ingredients. It’s very comfortable. You can come in here in blue jeans or you can get a little dressed up.
Q: Why focus on healthy, natural foods?
A: It’s a personal commitment. My first job ever was in a little health food store in high school.
Q: The restaurant is very eco-friendly, too, right?
A: Making a commitment to green was always a part of the process. We’re not perfect here. I can’t compost because there’s no composting yet in Culver City. I’d like to see a big busy restaurant do composting and see how they do it. Because when you’re back there and really busy, how many trash cans can you have? We recycle. We separate all the bottles, but not everybody does it right. People just throw stuff in without even looking.
Q: How else did you try to minimize your impact on the environment?
A: We used reclaimed hardwood, all LED lighting. We have energy-efficient equipment in the kitchen. Our waiters wear organic cotton shirts, hemp aprons. All the cleaning supplies are biodegradable. We’re using the Natura Water System so we’re not wasting plastic bottles. We have all biodegradable take-away. The boxes, cups and silverware are made of corn and potatoes.
Q: What about the beverages?
A: A lot of our wines are biodynamic, organic and sustainable. We have an organic gin and organic tequila. The coffee, of course, is fair trade. The only thing bad we have here is Coke and Diet Coke. But I have a bar. I have to have Coke and Diet Coke.
Q: Can you talk about your ingredients and how you source them?
A: Every single ingredient I source was cleared, down to the salt and pepper. We use as many organic fruits and vegetables as possible. Some of them are local, not certified organic, but not sprayed. I’d rather have local asparagus than fly something in from Chile because of the carbon footprint. I only use organic ketchup and mustard and organic flour. All our ingredients are chemical and preservative free. It’s all sustainable seafood from CleanFish.
Q: Didn’t you start out as a vegetarian caterer?
A: I did. I quickly realized you couldn’t make a living being a vegetarian caterer. Even vegetarians wanted other things at their party for their non-vegetarian friends. But you know, once there was widespread availability of organic meats and sustainable seafood, I felt better about it. When I became a vegetarian in high school, it didn’t exist.
Q: Is that why you’re no longer a vegetarian?
A: You change. We have mung beans and rice, a quinoa bowl, a veggie burger. We have so many vegan and vegetarian choices that I don’t have any guilt. I know what sells in my restaurant. Short ribs are the number one seller. Our goal is not to convert people. A restaurant experience can’t be about people getting a trip laid on them. It’s about getting the food to the table before somebody gets pissed off.
Q: Is there anything more you would wish you could have done to help the environment?
A: We really tried to get solar panels. It would have cost $100,000, and it would have saved 5 percent of our electric bill. I’d rather give the $100,000 to starving children somewhere. Why should I spend $100,000 so I can put out a press release? That doesn’t make any sense. That to me is greenwashing.
Akasha, 9543 Culver Blvd., Culver City, 310.845.1700
